coven

American  

[kuhv-uhn, koh-vuhn] / ˈkʌv ən, ˈkoʊ vən /

noun

• covens
  plural

1. an assembly of witches, especially a group of thirteen.

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coven British  

/ ˈkʌvən /

noun

1. a meeting of witches

2. a company of 13 witches

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• covens
  plural

Etymology

Origin of coven

1500–10 for sense “assembly”; 1655–65 for current sense; variant of obsolete covent assembly, religious group, convent

Explanation

A group of witches is called a coven. In books, a coven of witches often gather at night to make potions and cast spells. The mythology of witches has them meeting under cover of night, often in mysterious groups of 13. Although there are only three of them, the "weird sisters" in Shakespeare's play "Macbeth" could be considered a coven. To people who follow the contemporary religion called Wicca, a coven is a gathering, no different from a congregation in Christianity. The word coven arose in the mid-1600s, ultimately from the Latin root conventus, "assembly."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

coven covens

“Marble Hall Murders,” in which Lesley Manville returns as book-editor/sleuth Susan Ryeland, opens with a teenage coven of druidic pharmacists mixing a noxious potion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

In 1994, Tori Amos’ U.S. video for her piano anthem “Cornflake Girl” presents a coven of quarreling young women driven through the desert in the back of a pickup truck.

From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2026

There’s some mythology, the Wiccan for sure and Scarlet Witch, of course, but “Agatha” was kind of this found coven that we were able to put together.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2025

"I was accused of organising a coven because I invited three other female solicitors out for lunch," she said.

From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2025

The cucos were after Beefy for his power, and the only thing standing in their way was Seven and her coven.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

One has to imagine that among the covens of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, similar celebrations of glee are spontaneously erupting today after the two-part finale of “Agatha All Along.”

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2024

“Women studied with Z and then went on to form covens of their own,” Magliocco said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2021

Ryan Murphy's groundbreaking show focuses on a different spooky story each season, tackling the likes of witch covens, haunted hotels, a 1980s slasher story, and even the apocalypse.

From Fox News ● Apr. 16, 2020

Like other ’90s touchstones that are recirculating in the culture — stylized covens, Marianne Williamson — the book has returned at a slightly ironic distance.

From New York Times ● Dec. 17, 2019

And now there were only two covens left to form before the Spares.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega